Draft-equalizer.



P. B. MARTINK: H. DAHLENBURG.

DRAFT EQUALIZER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR, 31, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

WITNESSES: INVENTORS IIOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsmNG'ruN, n. c.

PHILLIP B. MARTIN AND HENRY DAHLENBURG, OF AVON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

DRAFT-EQUALIZER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

Application filed March 31, 1911. Serial No. 618,188.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, PHILLIP B. MARTIN and HENRY DAHLENBURG, citizens of the United States, residing at Avon, in the county of Bonhomme and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention primarily resides in the novel construction of draft-equalizers which will be efficient in operation and of a durable character due to the provision of antifriction means to prevent unnecessary wear of the several parts.

A further object is the provision of a member on the draft rod to prevent the rear team of horses from coming too close to the head team. IVith the ordinary draftequalizers, owing to their deficiency, the rear team of draft animals often comes in contact with the head team, thus causing much inconvenience to the driver in handling the animals.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of the present invention secured to the wagon tongue or pole, parts thereof being in section to more clearly disclose the construction; Fig. 2 is a plan view; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the draft rod, showing the formation of the plate.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

In the present invention, 1 designates a wagon tongue or pole having in its rear terminal a vertical slot 2 in which is adapted to operate an equalizing lever 8 which is pivotally secured therein by the pin or member 2. The equalizing lever 3 is provided with a plurality of apertures 3 for the purpose hereinafter described. Pivotally secured to the upper terminal of the lever 3 is a link member 4 connected to the clevis or any other desirable means carried by the evener-bar 5 to which are secured the swingletrees. A plate 7 is secured to the wagon pole and is provided with a slot adapted to register with the slot 2, said plate being provided to prevent undue wear on the pole by the sliding movement of the evener-bar 5.

Secured to the plate 7 is a bracket 6 underneath which the evener-bar 5 operates. This bracket may be provided with an aperture adapted to register with an aperture in the evener-bar whereby a bolt or other member may be inserted when it is desired to use a single team only. Interposed between the rear terminal of the bracket 6 and the wagon pole is a pair of anti-friction rollers to prevent undue wear.

Pivotally secured to the lower terminal of the lever 3 is a draft bar or rod 8 which extends forwardly and which passes through a link 10 carried by the chain 9 to retain said rod in a convenient position. The draft bar 8 may be adjustably connected to the lever 3, owing to the several apertures 3 provided in the latter. The chain 9 is secured to the pole 1 by a metallic U-shaped member which is bent to form the eye 1. Owing to the varying lengths of the buttchains which are secured to the traces, the rear team of horses often come in contact with the head team which often frighten the animals, and cause much inconvenience to the driver. To remedy this a plate 11 is secured to the under side of the draft rod 8 which is provided with a plurality of projections or engaging members 11 adapted to be engaged by the link 10 which prevent the rear team from pulling the draft rod backwardly beyond a predetermined distance and thus insuring a safe distance betweenthe horses. To prevent the link 10 from becoming disengaged, a spring 11 is carried by the plate 11, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The distance between the teams of horses may be varied, owing to the several projections 11, either of which may be engaged by the link member 10. It will be observed that the plate 11 in no way interferes with the draft equalizing, but only limits the movement of the several parts whereby a safe distance between the teams is obtained.

Having thus fully described our invention, what is claimed as new is In combination, a wagon tongue, a lever pivoted thereon, an evener bar connected to one terminal of the lever, a draft rod carried by the opposite terminal of said lever,,a

pluralityof engaging members mounted on In testimony whereof We aflix our signathe aforesaid draft rod, a flexible member tures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

carried by said tongue and adapted to en- PHILLIP B. MARTIN. gage any one of said engaging members, and HENRY DAHLENBURG. means carried by the latter to prevent aoci- Vitnesses:

dental displacement of said flexible member A. H. KOEHN,

from said engaging members. J. 0. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

